Floor sanding machine with controllable motion



Aug. 27, 1968 w. H. REDlFER 3,398,490

FLOOR SANDING MACHINE WITH CONTROLLABLE MOTION Filed June 28. 1966 Wilhgm H. Pea fer INVENTOR.

ATTDRNEY.

United States Patent 3,398,490 FLOOR SANDING MACHINE WITH CONTROLLABLE MOTION William H. Redifer, 3838 Cumberland Drive, Youngstown, Ohio 44515 Filed June 28, 1966, Ser. No. 561,082 Claims. (Cl. 51-177) This invention relates to a floor sanding machine and more particularly to a floor sanding machine having three sanding discs arranged so that one of the discs overlaps the area between the other two when the machine moves along the floor in a sanding operation.

An object of the invention is the provision of a floor sanding machine having three sanding discs arranged in a generally triangular configuration and means for driving two of the sanding discs in oppositely disposed rotary motion and means for driving the third sanding disc in the rotary motion of either of said two sanding discs.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a floor sanding machine having three sanding discs arranged in a generally triangular assembly and including means for driving one of the three sanding discs in the same direction as either one of the other two sanding discs so as to impart forward or reverse or side to side movement to the floor sanding machine by varying the direction of rotation of the third sanding disc.

Floor sanding machines 'lreretofore known in the art have generally utilized one large sanding disc and a motor and gear unit for driving the same. Such floor sanding machines are difficult to control and tend to move in various directions rather than in a desirable relatively straight path due to the different degree of friction existing between the floor being sanded and the particular part of the sanding disc engaging the floor. Such floor sanding machines as have incorporated more than a single sanding disc have had the inherent difficulty of a tendency to travel in a given direction as occasioned by the peripheral engagement of the several sanding discs, for example, the triple sanding disc machine shown in the Nilsson Patent 2,950,583.

The present invention relates to a floor sanding machine wherein the several problems have been overcome and the floor sanding machine rendered controllable to a relatively satisfactory degree. In the present invention this is accomplished by driving a pair of sanding discs in oppositely disposed direction so that their outer opposite peripheral edges are travelling in the same direction relative to the forward or backward motion of the floor sanding machine. A third sanding disc is provided to the rear of the pair of sanding discs and positioned to span the area therebetween and overlap the area sanded thereby and a driving means is provided which may be arranged to drive the third disc in either direction so that its peripheral edge will match the directional rotation of either one or the other sanding discs. Thus, the ma chine may be caused to move forwardly in a relatively straight path or backwardly as desired as the peripheral direction of two of the sanding discs will move the machine in the desired direction and make it relatively easy to control.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being the intention to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for purposes of the disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

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FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the floor sanding machine with parts in cross section and parts broken away.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged bottom elevation on line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view on FIGURE 3-3 of FIGURE 1 with parts broken away and parts in cross section.

By referring to the drawings and FIGURE 1 in particular it will be seen that the floor sanding machine includes a principal housing 10 having a [handle 11 attached thereto at one end and which handle includes a cross piece 12 by means of which the floor sanding machine may be guided. A motor 13 is positioned in the housing 10 and drives a suction fan 14 which is arranged to communicate with the lower portion of the housing 10 and to remove sawdust therefrom and direct the same into a bag 15 exteriorly of the housing 10 and supported on the handle 11 by a bracket 16. The motor 13 has a drive shaft 17 which extends beyond the fan 14 and drives a wheel 18, a secondary wheel 19 is positioned alongside the wheel 18 and rotatably supported on a shaft 20 as best seen in FIGURES 1 and 3 of the drawings and the wheels 18 and 19 are respectively engaged on peripheral flanges 21 and 22 of a pair of sanding discs 23 and 24 respectively which are positioned in the foremost part of the housing 10 and in side by side relation. Directional arrows on the wheels 18 and 19 and on the sanding discs 23 and 24 indicate that the sanding discs 23 and 24 will revolve in oppositely disposed rotary motion When the motor 13 is energized. In order that the floor sanding machine can be readily controlled as to forward and backward motion or sideward motion a third sanding disc 25 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 26 in the rearmost portion of the housing 10 and beneath the inner end of the handle 11.

The third sanding disc 25 is positioned so that it overlaps the sanding path formed by the sanding discs 23 and 24 when the floor sanding machine moves in a forward direction. The total width of the area sanded by the machine will thus be seen to be considerably greater than that capable with a single disc machine. The sanding disc 25 has a peripheral flange 27 and an idler 28 is engaged thereagainst and rotatably supported on one end of an arm 29, the arm 29 being pivoted adjacent its opposite end on the shaft 26. Gear teeth 30 are formed on a portion of the arm 29 adjacent the shaft 26 and engaged with an arcuate rack 31 which is secured to the end of a shaft 32 which in turn extends upwardly along the handle 11 and is provided with an offset lever 33 on its uppermost end. Movement of the lever 33 will cause the shaft 32 to partially revolve and impart similar motion to the rack 31 which in turn will move the arm 29 and the idler 28 circumferentially of the third sanding disc 25 and from engagement with one of the wheels 18 and 19 to engagement with the other.

It will be observed that the wheels 18 and 19 are so positioned that the idler 28 cannot move past its point of engagement with either the wheel 18 or 19 and is confined to the area therebetween and it will further be observed that it is urged into driving relation between the respective parts by its positioning and the rotary motion of the wheels 18 and 19.

Those skilled in the art will understand that the wheels 18 and 19 and the idler 28 have resilient rims thereon for suitable frictional engagement between the respective rotary parts of the device including the sanding discs 23, 24 and 25. It will thus be seen that a simple and efficient floor sanding machine has been disclosed which meets the several objects of the invention and having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A floor sanding machine having a housing and a supporting structure therein, a motor in said housing, a

suction fan in said housing driven by said motor and three sanding discs carrying members rotatably mounted in said supporting structure, two of said three members being positioned in side-by-side relation in one end of said housing and the third member being positioned in the other end thereof, a drive shaft on said motor and positioned between said three members, means interconnecting said two members in the one end of said housing and said drive shaft for rotating said two members in opposite rotary motion and selectively interconnecting said third member and said drive shaft for rotating said third member in either direction whereby the direction of rotation of said third member may be caused to correspond -with either one of said two members.

2. The floor sanding machine set forth in claim 1 and wherein said means consists of a Wheel on said drive shaft, 21 secondary wheel rotatably mounted on said supporting structure and in peripheral engagement with said wheel on said drive shaft and with the other one of said two members, an idler rotatably supported in peripheral engagement with the third member and movable from a first position engaging said wheel on said drive shaft to a second position engaging said secondary wheel.

3. The floor sanding machine set forth in claim 2 and wherein a shaft in said supporting structure rotatably mounts said third member, an arm pivoted on said shaft,

said idler being rotatably mounted on said arm and a mechanical device for moving said arm in an are based on said shaft.

4. The floor sanding machine set forth in claim 2 and wherein the peripheral edges of said sanding disc supporting members, said wheels and said idler are provided with resilient surfaces.

5. The floor sanding machine set forth in claim 3 and wherein said arm has a gear segment thereon and said mechanical device comprises a shaft extending out of said supporting structure, a lever on said shaft and a secondary gear segment on said shaft engaging said gear segment on said arm and arranged so that movement of said lever rotates said shaft and secondary gear segment and moves said arm and said idler.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,091,158 5/1963 Bunger et al 51177X 1,915,495 6/1933 Eriksson-Ions 1549 FOREIGN PATENTS 563,180 11/1955 Italy.

25 JAMES L. JONES, JR., Primary Examiner. 

1. A FLOOR SANDING MACHINE HAVING A HOUSING AND A SUPPORTING STRUCTURE THEREIN, A MOTOR IN SAID HOUSING, A SUCTION FAN IN SAID HOUSING DRIVEN BY SAID MOTOR AND THREE SANDING DISCS CARRYING MEMBERS ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID SUPPORTING STRUCTURE, TWO OF SAID THREE MEMBERS BEING POSITIONED IN SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATION IN ONE END OF SAID HOUSING AND THE THIRD MEMBER BEING POSITIONED IN THE OTHER END THEREOF, A DRIVE SHAFT ON SAID MOTOR AND POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID THREE MEMBERS, MEANS INTERCON- 